NE NEWS SERVICE
CHENNAI, FEB 23
The Sri Lankan Navy has arrested 32 fishermen from Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu for allegedly crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) and fishing in Lankan waters. The arrests were made during the early morning hours of Sunday. Five costly mechanised boats were also seized by the Sri Lankan authorities. The arrested fishermen, according to fishermen leaders of Rameswaram were taken to Jaffna in Sri Lanka for further questioning.
In an emergency meeting convened on Sunday, fishers’ groups in Rameswaram called for an indefinite strike to protest such actions by Colombo.
- In an emergency meeting convened on Sunday, fishers’ groups in Rameswaram called for an indefinite strike to protest such actions by Colombo.
- Chief Minister M K Stalin on Sunday urges the Centre to immediately convene the Joint Working Group to find a permanent solution to the issue
Expressing concern over the ‘alarming’ rise in arrest of Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu by the Sri Lankan navy, Chief Minister M K Stalin on Sunday urged the Centre to immediately convene the Joint Working Group to find a permanent solution to the issue.
The CM wrote to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, flagging the latest detention of 32 Indian fishermen and five boats by the Lankan navy.
“I write this letter with a sense of deep anguish as the number of incidents of apprehensions of Tamil Nadu fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy have risen alarmingly in the recent times. In the latest incident, 32 fishermen have been apprehended by the Sri Lankan Navy on 23.02.2025 along with their five mechanised fishing boats…these fishermen had ventured for fishing from the Rameswaram fishing harbour on 22.02.2025,” Stalin said in his letter.
The apprehensions of Tamil Nadu fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy are still continuing in large numbers inspite of his repeated requests to prevail upon Colombo to prevent such arrests. So far this year, 119 fishermen and 16 boats have been apprehended by the Sri Lankan navy in eight separate incidents, he added.
“Hence, I once again reiterate my earlier request to convene the Joint Working Group immediately to find a permanent solution to this long pending issue. This is especially crucial since the livelihoods of our fishermen families are impacted severely, due to these apprehensions.”
“In view of the above, I request you to take strong diplomatic efforts to prevent the arrests of our fishermen and to secure the release of all the apprehended fishermen and their fishing boats from the Sri Lankan authorities at the earliest,” the CM added.
